Andreas von Doebeln wrote:

>... the Trombone and the Klarinett are the big and little brothers (or
>sisters if you prefer) of the Trumpet.  The Trombone bears this in its
>name, as Trombe is trumpet in italian, and -bone is large (although also
>slight other meanings).  But how came that clarinetto to mean "small
>trumpet"? Is there an other word "Clarino" something for trumpet?

A few years ago, on one of the Internet music lists, we explored the
apparent mislabeling in French of "violon" for "violin" and "violoncelle"
for violoncello.  There is no paradox in English (aside from its not having
grammatical augmentatives and diminutives) because a violoncello is a small
violon(e) which was an augmented viol, neither of the latter being
instruments commonly recognized today.

Walter Meyer